I was born in Europe a few years after WW2

But I grew up learning all about it

My parents still had ration books to buy food

They told me stories of constant bombing

How entire families were wiped out

Being evacuated to live outside the city

Telling me about family members who lost their lives while serving our country

Grandparents telling me about the horrors of WW1

These were difficult things to comprehend as a young child

As I grew older I learned to understand European history

I witnessed how Europeans came together in unity after WW2

The European Union brought unity across different cultures

Nato formed alliances with one specific aim

To prevent any further wars in Europe

I grew up feeling safe and secure

Even through the cold war era

With nuclear missiles primed to fire from submarines at all times

Mutually assured destruction is a great deterrent

I was convinced I would never witness a major war in Europe in my lifetime

Today we see shocking images from Ukraine 

Innocent civilians fleeing their homeland in terror

Entire cities being destroyed in a mad land grab war

Proud Ukrainian people resisting the invading Russian army

This is not unlike the tales of WW2 that my family told me

But its being told in a totally different way

24/7 news on TV and social media is graphic and chilling

Emotions of anger and frustration flood over me

Mixed with guilt because I am safe being physically so far away from this conflict

Why is this all happening now and what can we do to stop it?

Unfortunately I have no answers

I am drowning in waves of sadness